A Single Tear
by favouriteyellowsweater
Summary: Hermione knew that the coming war was not going to be good. She had seen first hand the destruction that Voldemort causes. And she knew, in her heart, that there were going to be people close to her that she would lose. She just didn't think it was going to be those people, and so soon too.


**A/N hey guys! i had this idea late at night, and thought i'd write it. i'm not sure whether is should leave it as this oneshot or add more to it, tell me what you think. hope you enjoy**

**\- favouriteyellowsweater xox **

It was the summer after they had been in the Department of Mysteries. Hermione had left to buy some groceries for her parents late in the evening. When she entered the house, everything was in order. No furniture was overturned, the door was locked, nothing was broken.

Except as Hermione Granger stood in the doorway of her house, that looked onto the living room, two figures were laying on the floor, face up and staring blankly at the ceiling. Hermione let go of the shopping bags she was holding, and raced to the figures. She dropped to her knees in between them. Hermione turned to the male one.

"Dad! Dad wake up. Please, Dad. Come on! Your fine, your fine, your fine. Just get up. Come on, Dad!" She turned to the other figure. "Mum, oh mum, please. Wake up, you'll be okay, I'll take you to St Mungo's, oh please Mum." A sob wracked her frame. Her hand searched for the others. When she grasped them, they were cold. "NO! JUST WAKE UP! You'll both be fine, I'll call someone from the Order, please just move. MOVE, PLEASE, SHOW ME YOUR OKAY! Stop joking, this is not funny, please hug me, scold me for staying out late without you, please do something."

Hermione just sat in the middle of the two bodies. She sat there and screamed, sobbed, refused to believe it. She couldn't remember how long she sat there, but it seemed like eternity. Her voice hurt from screaming, and she was exhausted, but she forced herself to stay awake, with them.

Hermione remembered someone calling her name. She remembered strong hands pulling her up and taking her away from them. Hermione kicked and screamed and tried to get back to them. She screamed abuse, threatened their life if they didn't let go. But they were too strong and pulled her away, further and further away.

"Leave me alone! I just want to go back to-" But Hermione didn't get to finish her sentence, because she felt the pulling at her navel as her captor apparated away. When they 'landed', Hermione pulled herself from their grip and stumbled forward, not making it very far before falling and throwing up onto the ground.

"Hermione, are you alright?"

She stood and whipped around to see who took her from her parents. Remus Lupin was standing near her, concern and sadness etched on his face.

"No, I am not alright, _Remus_," she spat. Tears stained her red face, and her voice was hoarse from screaming. "Take me back, take me back right now, or I swear I'll-" Hermione stopped when she realised her wand wasn't in her pocket.

"Here, I think you're looking for this." Remus held out her wand, that had fallen out of her pocket after he disapparated. Hermione walked over and snatched it from his hand. She then pointed it at his chest.

"Take. Me. Back."

"Hermione, we need to get inside. I promise your parents bodies will be taken care of well. Just go inside first."

"Don't talk about them like that! Like they are just 'bodies' now, just bodies to 'take care of'! They are my parents. And- and-" She stopped and as tears started to stream down her face she sunk to her knees. Remus came up to her and put his arms around her.

"Come on, let's get you inside."

Hermione didn't have the strength to disagree, so she let herself be herded into Grimmauld Place.

* * *

When Remus went to pick Hermione up, so that he could take her to Grimmauld Place, he immediately knew something was wrong. The door was wide open, and there was dropped groceries just inside. Fear beating in his chest, he raised his wand listened.

"Hermione?" he called, "Hermione are you there?" Remus heard sobs and screams in response. He barged in the house, ready to attack any Death Eater. What he saw was not what he expected. He saw Hermione Granger in the middle of two bodies, her parents Remus realised. He gasped as he saw that they were... dead. Remus ran over to the girl and put a hand on her shoulder.

"Hermione come on. We have to go. Your coming to Grimmauld Place, remember? Come on Hermione, we have to go." When she didn't respond, Remus pulled her up gently, and tried to guide her to the door. He would come back and pack some things for her later, she needed friends now. Hermione pulled out of his grip and tried to go back to her parents, but Remus held her arm strongly.

"Let me go! Get your hands off of me! I need to be with them! Let go of me you bastard!"

This scene was too familiar. Too familiar to the night Sirius died. When he had wanted to run into that goddamn curtain with Harry, to bring Sirius back, the only other Marauder he had left. But he had to hold Harry back. Just like he had to take Hermione to Grimmauld Place. She continued to kick and scream and tried to get away from Remus. But he was strong, and left the house, disapparating soon after.

As soon as she stepped foot into the terrace, Molly Weasley came to give her a welcome hug. But when Mrs Weasley came into the hallway, she saw the sobbing form of Hermione Granger, being brought in gently by Remus Lupin.

"Oh my, whatever happened, dear?" Mrs Weasley hurried forwards and pulled Hermione into a suffocating hug. She didn't like the grim look on the man's face behind her.

Remus answered her question. "It- It's Hermione's family. Her," he swallowed and looked as if he had tears in his eyes. "Her parents, they- They're dead."

Mrs Weasley gasped and hugged Hermione tighter. "Oh darling, I'm so sorry. My, my." She continued to mutter words of comfort to Hermione as she took her upstairs. Remus went into the living room and sat down heavily. He was exhausted from the full moon a few days ago, and this had just made the atmosphere much heavier. A few minutes later, Mrs Weasley appeared, a sad smile on her face.

"I- I can't believe it. They were nice muggles. Oh dear," she gave a watery chuckle. "I had to put a silencing charm on Ron, because he was asking to many questions and wouldn't let the poor girl get to her room."

"I'm sorry Molly, but I think I ought to tell the Order what's happened. It's best they know."

Mrs Weasley nodded. "Yes, of course. I guess I'll have to explain to Ron as well, or he'll become too curious for his own good."

Remus stood from the couch and made his way out. At the doorframe, however, he paused and turned around. "Take good care of her, Molly. She's been through a lot today."

* * *

In Hermione's bed, Ginny's sleeping form beside he, she continued to sob. This was not okay. None of this was okay. She started to think, her mind racing, thoughts inter-tangling and getting mixed up, like a messed ball of yarn.

Memories floated to the surface, and drifted away. Mornings with her mum in the holidays, when they would sit together and talk. They would both hold steaming mugs of coffee, in summer sitting on the house's veranda, and in winter in their living room. The living room that held many memories; of Christmas mornings, of hot July nights, of reading all her favourite books, of her mother comforting her after her favourite toy broke, of her father showing her how to make the perfect vanilla cupcakes and smudging flour on her nose. But now it was only the place where two people lay, lips blue, eyes glassy, with cold, cold hands and-

_No._ She wouldn't. Hermione wouldn't allow herself to get caught up in these memories, she knew it would hurt her more. Block it out, she told herself. Build a wall, force them into a box, learn occlumency if that's what it took. Hermione sighed, feeling very empty and alone.

For now, just for now she would sleep. Or at least try. So Hermione closed her eyes, and suddenly felt the exhaustion that washed over her. And before she fell asleep, a tear trailed its way down her face. Hermione Granger was going to come out of this war a very, _very_ different person.


End file.
